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Buckwheat, millet, pearl, pearl barley … Not without reason the groats are back in favor. Groats provide valuable ingredients, prevent diseases and even heal. You will conjure up many delicious dishes that will never get bored.
Kaszereigned on Polish tables for centuries. Peasants made them for their own needs. In cities, croupiers were involved in the production and sale of groats. Already in the Middle Ages, wheat, rye (called new), barley (krupy) and pearl (called hail) groats as well as millet made of millet were known. Buckwheat was used to obtain "peeled" (roasted), "iron" (unroasted) and Krakow groats. But in the twentieth century, they began to disappear from the table, replaced by the then fashionable potatoes and flour products. Fortunately, along with the trend for he althy eating, the interest in groats returns. Nutritionists argue that they should be permanently included in home menus. So if you only eat them on holidays, it's high time to change that. Learn the richness of groats and the secrets of their cooking.
Groats is a source of carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals
In terms of nutritional value, groats are superior to pasta, potatoes and rice. They are a great source of complex carbohydrates that are slowly broken down into glucose needed for the work of all body cells. According to the he althy eating pyramid, thesecarbohydratesshould be the main source of energy. You will find the most of them in semolina (77 g / 100 g in cooked groats, which covers the daily carbohydrate requirement), pearl (76 g) and pearl barley (74 g). Due to the high content of starch, groats are quite caloric (100 g of groats is 320-370 kcal), but contrary to appearances, they do not fatten if eaten without caloric additives (thick sauces, fatty meat). Groats are a we alth offiber , which regulates the intestines and hinders the absorption of fat. As it swells in the stomach, it will keep you full for longer. It helps with constipation and digestive problems. Most of it is in coarse-grained groats. 100 g of roasted whole buckwheat and pearl buckwheat contains 6 g of fiber, pearl barley - 5 g, manna - 2 g (the daily requirement of an adult is about 30 g). They contain almost no fat, so especially the fat ones are irreplaceable in slimming diets. They are a source of B vitamins, folic acid and vitamins.E. The most vitamin B1 (thiamine) are in buckwheat, millet and barley, folic acid - buckwheat, vitamin PP (niacin) - pearl barley. They provide many minerals, mainly potassium (lowers blood pressure), iron (prevents anemia), magnesium (strengthens the nerves and heart) and phosphorus, zinc, manganese, copper, silicon and calcium. A lot of protein in them. However, it contains little lysine and tryptophan, which the body cannot produce itself. Therefore, groats should be eaten with products of animal origin, e.g. with milk, egg, lean meat. Choose coarse-grained groats because they contain more nutrients. Leave the change to people on a slightly digestible diet.
The art of cooking porridge
Each type of groats requires a different treatment. Coarse groats (buckwheat, pearl, millet, pearl barley) must be selected from unshelled grains, husks and other impurities, then rinsed. It is best to put it into a pot, pour warm water, collect the seeds that flowed out on top, then mix and strain. This must be done quickly so that the groats do not soak up with water. The smallest and broken groats are unlikely to be rinsed. Remember that the porridge increases in volume as it is cooked. Therefore, you should not take too much of it, so that it does not "come out" from the pot. The degree of swelling depends on the type of groats, the amount of water and the cooking time. Loose-cooked buckwheat groats increase in volume the least, by 1/4. Loose crushed barley and pearl barley double the volume, and dense corn groats and semolina increase it up to 1.5 times. It is easy to burn. To prevent this from happening, it is best to cook it in a thick-bottomed stainless steel or enamel pot, simmer, stirring occasionally. You can put the pot of groats into a second, slightly larger pot of water. The amount of water and the cooking time depend on the type of groats and whether it is to be loose or thick. Thick groats are usually cooked in loose form. To prevent the grains from sticking together and retain nutrients, especially minerals and vitamins soluble in water, the groats must be put in the appropriate amount of boiling water (2 glasses of water for a glass of buckwheat, pearl and Krakow groats, 1 and 3/4 for a glass of millet, corn - 1 and 1/2, and pearl barley - 3) with the addition of a tablespoon of butter or oil. During cooking, the fat deposits a thin layer on the surface of the beans and separates them from each other. When the groats boil, reduce the heat and cook, covered, for 20-30 minutes, depending on the type of groats. It should absorb all the water and be soft. But it happens that this groats is not enough. Then you can put it in a covered pot in the oven and bake it for 30 minutes in180 ° C or wrap the pot with paper (a blanket) and leave it for 2-3 hours to "reach". Before cooking, rub the fine grains with beaten egg or egg white, i.e. mix 2 proteins or a whole egg per kilogram of groats, put in roasting pans and put them in the preheated oven to let the beans dry. The egg (protein) forms a cover that prevents it from sticking up during cooking. If you want to cook the grits semi-loose, use more water and cook longer than loose. Loose groats can be an addition to dishes or constitute a separate dish. Cooked semi-powdered, they are usually served with stewed meats, they are used to prepare chops, croquettes, casseroles and desserts. Loose porridge creates a thick mass that is difficult to drain from the spoon, and the grains lose Shape. After cooling, it solidifies and is easy to slice. It is boiled in more water than loose groats (for a glass of Krakow groats and semolina you need 4 glasses of water, millet, pearl and corn - 3 and 1/2, and buckwheat - 2 and 1/2). First, pour 1/3 lukewarm water into the groats, mix and set aside for 30 minutes to swell. Then add the rest of the boiling water. The groats should fall apart slowly, so cook them over low heat. If it is to be semi-thick, more water needs to be added. Porridges cooked in this way are a great addition to meat, vegetables or mushrooms. You can make soup cubes from thick semolina, Krakowska or maize, and semi-thick semolina - a mousse. Loose, semi-thick and thick groats are served sweet, e.g. with vanilla, dried and fresh fruit and dried fruit and nuts. It is cooked very slowly, stirring frequently. For one volume of groats you need to use six volumes of water. Barley groats are poured with cold, others - with boiling water. A large amount of water and slow cooking make the groats swell without restrictions. The shells of the grains break and the starch gruel is poured out, thickening the water. The groats prepared in this way are suitable for barley and gruel.
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